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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. suit — clothes
  3. key — the most important part
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. suit — to fit
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. scale — in music
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. key — in music
  17. sharp — clever
  18. scale — size or range
  19. suit — in cards
  20. key — for a lock
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. mark — a trace
  23. mark — a grade
  24. rush — hurry

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com